One NRI and 3 Indians at top Forbes' 20 Richest List

March 05, 2008
Gary Singh

Forbes' 20 Richest List

1. Warren Buffett-
2. Helú Slim & Family
3. William Gates III
4. Lakshmi Mittal
5. Mukesh Ambani
6. Anil Ambani
7. Ingvar Kamprad & Family
8. KP Singh
9. Oleg Deripaska
10. Karl Albrecht 11. Li Ka-shing
12. Sheldon Adelson
13. Bernard Arnault
14. Lawrence Ellison
15. Roman Abramovich
16. Theo Albrecht
17. Liliane Bettencourt
18. Alexei Mordashov
19. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud

Buffett's wealth increased $10 billion to about $62 billion in the 12 months through Feb. 11, mostly from a gain in his company's shares. The Microsoft chairman fell to third on the list behind Mexican telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim, 68, who has an estimated net worth of $60 billion

Four Indians figured in the top 10, with NRI/Indian steel entrepreneur Lakshmi Mittal placed fourth with 45 billion dollars and heads world's largest steelmaker, $105 billion (sales) ArcelorMittal, which accounts for 10% of all crude steel production. Just delivered 580 tons to be used in construction of the World Trade Center memorial in New York. With 44% stake, is the company's largest shareholde

Petrochemicals tycoon, Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani with 43 billion dollars and his estranged brother Anil Ambani on 42 billion.His fortune is up $22.9 billion since last year, making him the world's second-biggest gainer in terms of dollars.

The year's biggest gainer, Anil Ambani, is up $23.8 billion in the past year and is closing gap with estranged brother, Mukesh, who ranks one spot ahead of him in the world at No. 5.

Property magnate K.P. Singh came in eighth on the list, with a fortune estimated at 30 billion dollars. is now the world's richest real estate baron after listing his real estate development company DLF in 2007. The offering helped triple his fortune to $30 billion this year, up from $10 billion. A former army officer, known as K.P., he joined his father-in-law's Delhi Land & Finance in 1961. Singh later built DLF City in Gurgaon, his showpiece township on the outskirts of Delhi, by acquiring land from farmers. Over time, he transformed it into one of India's biggest real estate developers. Group plans to raise another $1.5 billion by listing a subsidiary in Singapore.
A keen golfer, he now leaves son Rajiv, daughter Pia to run operations.